A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

The frankly amazing Marina over at Makeup4all has only gone and done it again!

Makeup4all’s wonderful Summer issue is now available for your viewing pleasure…

I can’t even begin to comprehend the amount of work this lady puts in to creating these wonderful beauty issues.  When her email landed in my inbox announcing the release, I actually let out a little squeal of excitement.

Please go and check it out and show her some love… you won’t regret it, it’s a fabulous lunchtime read!

Barbara Daly has some caaaaa-ute mini nail polishes (7ml) available in Tesco at the moment.  I’m wearing the shade Sunset which is a glorious pink-toned red.

It’s one of those shades that make your nails look like colourful little smarties and I’m definitely going to check out the other shades whilst they’re on 3for2.  (Currently £3 a piece)

The formula of Sunset is easily one of the best I’ve used.  Yes, it’s that good.  2 coats for a truly perfect finish the brush is well made, the polish glides on my nails and with a slick of top coat gives the most beautifully glossy yet creamy finish.

Not only that… but the above photo was taken on the third day of wear.  Erm… where’s the tip wear?

I just hope the other shades live up to my now hugely inflated expectations!

The new face of Pantene Pro-V has been announced as presenter and former model Cat Deeley.

Why Cat? A spokesperson from Pantene said; “Cat Deeley is the ultimate Pantene Pro-V girl, she has natural beauty, and healthy looking, gorgeous hair. Her genuine likeability and infectious charisma have led to her being adored in the UK and now also the US. For us she was the obvious choice to lead the Make A Swisssh movement behind this campaign.”

Excited about her new role Cat said: “Has your hair ever felt so good you can’t help but swish it? – you know  that elusive ‘swish’, when hair moves perfectly. It’s that beautiful, healthy looking, enviable hair that we all want – that’s what you get with new Pantene Pro-V Aqua Light.” Cat Deeley

Her work with the brand will kick off with Cat as the face and hair of the new Aqua Light Make a Swisssh campaign launching on the 1^st August.

I know loads of you have been using the new Aqualight range for a little while now, still enjoying it?

I’ve been absolutely loving the shampoo this week.  My mother in law’s shower is genuinely the worst in Britain.  It doesn’t shower me… it dribbles on me.  I normally have to stand under this dribble for around 10 minutes until I’m left with no residue.  The new Pantene Aqua Light shampoo is rinsing away effortlessly in about 30 seconds!

Simple things please simple minds.

With the new Edward Bess range firmly settled into it’s new UK home at Zuneta, I thought it was time to bring you some product shots from the launch I attended a few weeks ago.

A busy swatch table at the launch.  Makeup, check.  Cameras, check.  Tissues, check.

Edward Bess Blush Imperiale (£36) – L,R – Soft Orchid, Desert Bloom, Moroccan Rose

Edward Bess Blush Imperiale swatches – L,R – Soft Orchid, Desert Bloom, Moroccan Rose

Edward Bess Eyeshadow Trios (£44) – L,R – Island Escape, Soft Smoke

Edward Bess Lip Wardrobe (£310)

Edward Bess Compact Rouge (£30) L,R – After Sunset, Love Affair, Island Rose.

The Compact Rouge pots are something rather special… smooth, silky and pigmented.  My heart has been stolen by more products than I can afford.  To be blunt, this is an expensive range.  For me, it’s an aspirational range.  The packaging is plain but sleek with quality casings… some will admire it’s simplicity, others may regard it as lacking in personality.

Edward Bess Midnight Sun Set (£136)

Before seeing the products in person, I was particularly keen to check out the Daydream bronzer and it didn’t disappoint.  Soft, creamy and natural – even on my pink hard-to-please skintone.

Edward Bess Ultra Luminous Eyeshadow (£22) – L,R – Intimate, Escape, Dusk, Mystery.

I was surprised by how much I fell in love with the Ultra Luminous Eyeshadow in Intimate.  I don’t do greens… but this khaki is something quite special.  Texture wise, I slightly favour the Rouge Bunny Rouge formula which blows me away… but I’m smitten by Intimate and Dusk and am in the process of working out how many excuses I can invent to part with the £44 needed to purchase.

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I will definitely be purchasing the Ultra Luminous Eyeshadow in Intimate.  I aspire to own the Daydream bronzer… but not until I finish the equally lovely Guerlain Teracotta Light Sheer Bronzer in Blondes.  I will also spend the next few months lusting after a compact rouge… but knowing that I would only use it as a cream blusher, I know that I can spend less and fall in love with other cream blushers to the same degree.

This is a line for women who want to enhance with quality cosmetics.  Subtle enhancement with luxury products is (for me) the epitome of what I want to see in my makeup bag.  If you’re looking for a compact collection of beautiful products to achieve subtle but effective enhancements, Edward Bess is worth exploring further.

I don’t get much time to spend on my ‘beauty’ routine, not half as much as I’d like… so any product that promises to multi-task captures my attention quickly!

Davines Authentic Nourishing Oil (£29.20/140ml) is designed to be used on face, hair and body.  A truly multi-tasking masterpiece?  Formulated with 100% natural ingredients, these include organic Carthame Oil, Jojoba, Sunflower and Sesame oils.

They say:

After a shower, while your skin is still wet, massage on your body, face and décolleté. (For additional moisturising power, add a few drops to your face and body cream at night, when your skin is repairing itself).  Smooth a few drops through the ends of the hair to get rid of split ends and don’t forget your hands – they must be protected against the external aggressors.  Massage your hands and cuticles daily.

I already use a body oil which I apply to damp skin – but I’m a total sucker for oils and I can’t stop adding to my collection.  At £29.20, the Davines Authentic Nourishing Oil is a little more than I’d like to pay… although 140ml would last a very long time.

What are your favourite multi-tasking products?

From the lovely Karen’s Makeup and Beauty Blog!  Should *really* have been done on a Monday, but I’m rubbish.

1. Mood:

A little defeated, a little homesick, a little flat and a little under siege but ultimately optimistic.

2. Finish this sentence: Without makeup I would…

Have a lot more space and money. (but a lot less fun!)

3. What are some staple pieces in your wardrobe?

1). My ASOS Curve black cropped sleeve tops.  I bought 5 of them when they were in the sale at £3 each and they’re soooo soft and stretchy, true staples!

2). My indigo kickflare jeans…. I’m still in 2002, and I’ll probably die wearing my indigo kickflares.

3). BONDS underwear…. they’re an Aussie brand and not so easy to get hold of over here but I love them!

4. Three things you’d (probably) never guess about me:

I have Dermatographic Urticaria (painless), I’ve had one of my photographs displayed in the Tate Modern and I’m a freakishly strong believer in karma (but not organised religion).

5. What would you like to get done today?

Find 30 mins to change my nail polish, buy some makeup (I’m having withdrawal symptoms) and bite my tongue.

6. What were your favorite TV shows when you were a kid?

Knightmare, Willo The Whisp, The Trap Door and Round The Twist!

7. Can you skateboard?

I can stand still on one?

8. I really want…

A cup of tea and a ginger snap.

9. Do you like horror movies?

No, I hate ’em.  I get too affected by gory stuff… my imagination is vivid enough thank you!  I guess I like suspense type horror… but I can’t remember the last time I watched a great horror film built more on suspense than shock.

10. Weekly goals:

Travel home safely, build Leila’s confidence in taking her first steps and make the most of the rest of my holiday.

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Would love to hear your answers to 1 or 2 of the questions (esp. #2 & #4).  Have a great week ladies xxx

I suck.

I caved.

I totally caved on ASOS and picked up both Illamasqua Jo’Mina and Baptiste…

Illamasqua Jo’Mina is a vibrant lilac creme.

It doesn’t looks bad against my complexion, but in my opinion… would suit darker skintones better.  I found the formula easy to apply but prone to a little streaking.  It needed a third coat to even out patchy areas though it dried quickly and to a high gloss finish.

At £13, it’s an expensive polish (though I paid half that in the sale).  I can’t say I would have been delighted with it had I paid full price.  I need to reswatch, but I’m interested to directly compare it to my Barry M Berry Ice Cream… I think this is a little darker and more vibrant.

Do you have Jo’Mina? Love it?

Not long to go now, I thought we could all do with a quick reminder of what we can look forward to come 1st August when NARS’ Autumn 2010 collection hits the counters.

Daphne Guiness looking resplendant as Francois NARS’ muse and inspiration for the NARS Fall 2010 campaign.

The Single Eyeshadows (£16) – Mangrove is LE.

The Eyeshadow Duos (£23) – Rajasthan is LE

The Lip Stick LE (£17)

The Lip Gloss LE (£17)

The Soft Touch Shadow Pencil LE (£15)

The Blush (£19.50)

For me, I think it’s one that needs to be swatched before taking the plunge and ordering…

Neither of the lip products are calling to me but I’ll be swatching Douceur, Palladium, Tzarine and Rajasthan… Mangrove too, I’m not particularly drawn to it, but because it’s a LE product I *just* wanna make sure!

Are you interested in anything from this collection?

And why I can never find knee high boots that fit my comically huge calves.

I’m a few weeks in to my trial, and have used the Boots iPulse Smooth Skin a total of 3 times… I’m not noticing any difference in hair texture or growth rate between my two legs yet, but it’s early days.

Very excited to start seeing some results!  C’mon, c’mon!

It’s glittery, gritty and a whole load of bling.

I just dunno…

Applied over the top of a bog standard dark base, 1 coat… this stuff is pretty dense.  One thing that annoys me about glitters is their often uneven application.  Yano, 2 pieces of glitter at the nail tip 43843243290 at the base.  The good thing about this polish is that it gives you long enough to ‘push’ the pieces around and ‘place’ them before it dries.  The bad thing?  Well, that also means that it taes a little while longer than I’d like to dry.  I know, contrary right?

This mixture of gold and silver glitter a.k.a BB Sands comes from the Lancome Spring 2010 collection though it kinda screams Christmas to me.  I’d love to layer this over a cream/nude base to see if I get a different look from it… but removal was such a pain in the backside that I’m honestly not sure I can be arsed.

is none other than…

Grace Burton

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Congratulations Grace, I shall email you for your details this evening.  Thanks for entering ladies!